"In the case of the post-tsunami imagery of Japan, we hope this particular digital archiving project will be useful to researchers and scientists who study the effects of natural disasters," wrote Kei Kawai, Senior Product Manager of Street View, in a blog post. "We also believe that the imagery is a useful tool for anyone around the world who wants to better understand the extent of the damage."

Mashable
is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe.